Illustration: Unknown

Massacre at Central High
 

Rene Daalder | USA | 1976

A character-driven cult favourite, conceived by Dutch writer, director and innovator Rene Daalder. Central High newcomer and all-round teen rebel David (Derrel Maury) is a disquieting social outcast and friend of Mark (Andrew Stevens), a member of the school’s tough elite, as led by the villainous Craig (Steve Bond). 

Bizarrely, there is not a single teacher nor campus “staff” member anywhere to be seen throughout Daalder’s picture and David is portrayed as something of an anti-hero, a lone soldier constantly at odds with his environment. 

Becoming an increasing nuisance, often thwarting the gang’s attempts to extort money from other students, Craig decides to teach David a lesson, and mercilessly maims his rival. Recovering from his injuries, David’s smouldering anger is now fuelled with revenge, and his reprisal is one of orchestrated violence which drastically ups the stakes, as Craig’s gang literally find themselves dead centre of a ‘Massacre at Central High’…

 

 

Released to UK cinemas as Blackboard Massacre with an ‘X’ certificate by Garpalm Ltd, the London based film distributor that heralded the film before release on tape by VCL — a direct result of the company’s distribution association with Martin Myers and Edward Elliman’s Merlin Video label. Merlin was the video software arm of the joint venture between Miracle Films and Cantley Film Services of Dublin; it was by exclusive arrangement through VCL which paved the way for Massacre at Central High to appear on rental shelves in July 1982.  

In 1986 Apex Distribution Ltd. purchased the film for their flagship label, along with a ‘package’ of other ex-Merlin titles: Night of the Juggler, Tales of Ordinary Madness, Battle Squadron, 67 Days, Fatal Games and House of Evil. This Apex re-release used the tagline: “THE TRICK WAS TO STAY ALIVE” and boasted mouth-watering sleeve art, featuring a maniacal illustration of David taking swing with a blooded axe! 

Bizarrely, when the film was released in Italian cinemas, re-titled as Sexy Jeans, the distributor inserted borderline hardcore scenes into the film to spice up the action!

aka : Blackboard Massacre

cast : Derrel Maury, Andrew Stevens, Robert Carradine, Kimberly Beck, Ray Underwood, Steve Bond, Steve Sikes, Lani O'Grady, Damon Douglas, Dennis Kort, Rainbeaux Smith, Jeffrey Winner, Thomas Logan